Arrested father of Maute terror brothers dies in custody

The patriarch of the Maute Group, which led the Islamist uprising in Marawi, had died in jail.

The death of Cayamora Maute, who was arrested after his sons unleased death and destruction in the Muslim-majority city in Mindanao, has been put down to “health issues”.

Xavier Solda, a spokesman for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said he was rushed to the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital at 3pm, already in critical condition. He died soon afterwards.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Rappler, he said: “Initially, the warden said his blood pressure shot up and he had difficulty breathing, his pulse slowed down. Upon the assessment and recommendation of our medical team, we rushed him to the nearest hospital. He died past 3pm.”

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He added the the prisoner was found to have hepatitis, diabetes and hypertension when he was arrested.

His body has already been handed to his relatives for burial.

Cayamora Maute was arrested in Davao City on June 6 along with four other members of his clan.

His two sons were among the leaders of an Islamist uprising in the southern city that broke out on May 23 after a bid to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.

Intelligence suggested that Hapilon — who has been named as Islamic State’s representative, or ‘emir’ in Southeast Asia and has a $5 million FBI bounty on his head — was attempting to unite the various Islamist factions of the Philippines under the black flag of IS.

The durability of the fighters in the ongoing siege suggested he was successful in this aim.